D top



Sept. 10, 1929.

w. WITHINGTON n-ro? Filed Feb. 28, 1927 INVENTOR W Zwk In illl/II/Z.

M ii

L W ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES WINTHROP WITHINGTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

D TOP.

Application filed February 28, 1927.

My invention relates to that type of handles commonly known as Utops, which are sultable for various tools, such as shovels, spades, forks, and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a handle of this general character, comprising means for suitably securing a hand grip to the wood shaft of an implement, and which may be formed of sheet metal inexpensively produced by stamping and forming operations.

Another object of my invention 18 130 provide a D-top made from a single integral sheet metal stamping which will be capable of being readily affixed to an implement shaft and which will form arelatively non-yielding connection between the hand gr1p and the shaft.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved metallic D-top capable of being formed from sheet metal, wherein the portions subjected to bendlng or breaking stresses are reinforced substantially commensurable to the stresses which must be resisted by the D-top portions in use.

Other objects of my invention and the 1nvention itself will become apparent as the description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated herein, progresses.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of my invention aifixed to the handle end of an implement shaft;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the D- top of Fig. 1, the handle shaft end being omitted in this view;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the D-top of the foregoing figures, omitting a showing of the implement shaft end;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and '8 are sectional views taken on the lines 5-5, 66, 7-7, and 88, re spectively, of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the different figuresof drawing, in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, at l I show an implement hand grip of substantially conventional form, adapted to be secured, as

illustrated in Fig. 1, to an end of an implement Serial No. 171,512.

shaft 2 by means of the D-top grip support 3. The D-top grip support is formed from a single sheet of sheet metal formed,as shown, so as to have a pair of grip-supporting forks 4 and 5, and agenerally tubular shank portion 6, the ends of the forks being formed, as shown at 7 and 8, so as to provide opposing cup recesses to receive the reduced ends of the grip 1. The grip-receiving recessed endsof the forks 4t and 5 are centrally perforated, as shown at 9 and 10, and a bolt 11 is projected I through the openings 9 and 10 to support the grip 1, through. the longitudinal axial bore. of which the bolt extends. Theends of the bolt are headed over, as shown at 12, andretain the forksin their relative positions and provide for the secure clampingof the grip by the recessed fork ends. From the end walls of the grip-receivingrecesses 7 and 8, pointed projections of the material of the walls extend inwardly, as shown at 13, and these projections extend into the wood or other like material of the grips toprevent relative rotation of the grip upon the bolt.

It has, in the past, been found difficult to secure the "properties of rigidity and strength in a D-top for handles formed from a single piece of sheet metal, and various expedients have heretofore been resorted to in order to accomplish as near as might be possible, according to themeans adopted, these properties. a I g j In my former Patent No. 1,585,222, dated May 18, 1926, I disclose a metallic D-top structure wherein, in order to form the sheetmetal in such away as to secure rigidity of the grip-supporting forks thereof, and to provide for implement shaft embracing portions thereof, I found it necessary to provide notches, or arcuate slots, at'the lateral portions where junctioniis made between the forks and the shaft-embracing parts. Although handles made in accordancewith my said former patent have been used/extensively, and have .proven successful in use, the present application is for a form of D-topj 1 which presents features of improvement over the structure of my said former patent, comprising such a disposition of the sheet metal thereof as will make a stronger connection bements and the forks, a substantially T-shaped tubular conthe line of section illustrated in Fig.

.is arched progressively .side portions of the provide additional stress-resisting strength at such portions.

More specifically, the D-top of my present invention, comprises a lowermost pair of substantially, semi-cylindrical tubular arms 14 and 15, which are bent downwardly until the relative positions, shown in Figs. 8 and 4c, arehad, whereby an implement shaft 2 may be snugly embraced between the arms,

aligned pairsof perforations 16 and 17 permitting headed bolts, or rivets such as 18, to penetrate the handle shaft and to rigidly clamp the D-top' shank portions 14 and thereto. The forks e and 5 are of arcuate shape, as indicated by the the figures of drawings 5, 6 and 7, taken respectivelyv of the lines of section 5- 5, 6-6 and 77, of Fig. 1, and it will be seen, by reference to thesedrawings, that, progressively nearer and nearer the shank portions 14 and 15, the forksare of channel form of continuously increasing depth, and that, in the lower portions of the forks ad acent the shanks, longitud nal ribs 19 and 20 pro ect from the upper surfacesthereof increasing the depth d of the concavity,

Fig. 6, from that indicated at dl, Fig. 5; each of the ribs 19 and 20 also define, by theirinner concave surfaces, a channel 21 which is of gradually increased depthfrom its uppermost portion to the lower .end portion of the channel.

Theresult of both of these effects is to accomplish a maximum depth of arch d on 7, and that the forkmaterial, starting with a relatively flat portion at 22 adjacent the grip 1, more and more until portions 14- and 15 the forks become re-entrant, that is, are inturnedin portions 23, being again reversely folded in portions 24: which become, in their lower portions, a part of the edges 25 of the semi-cylindrical shank elements 1e and 15. By virtue of the disposition of the sheet-metal in the portions comprising the implement shaft-embracing elelowermost portions of the adjacent the shank struction is evolved, the transverse elements of which are upturned to support the handle grip 1, being progressively of unrolled form as the handle gripsupporting ends of the forks are approached. The portion 26 of the sheet metal material, disposed immediately views shown in 1,727,496 a n i above the implement shaft end and between the ribs 19 and 20, is nearly flat, being preferably slightly transversely arched, as shown in the view of the line of section 88 of Fig. 1, illustrated in Fig. 8.

The grip-supporting ends of the forks at and 5 are formed by pressing the material of the forks at their ends into substantially cup-shaped form, and the grip ends are, as illustrated, preferably-reduced to fit within the side walls of the fork cups thereby provided.

, It will be observedthat the laterally disposed joining portions ifi, 1, extend from the substantially semicylindrical shank portions 1% and 15 from a point considerably below the upper end 29 of the implement shaft to give the forks, in portions toward their ,ends, the form of a substantially gradually .unrolled tube.

This construction, while permitting metal of considerable thickness to be employed, the form of the D-top providing for the taking up of all of the metal which otherwise would be subjected to a contracting stress, yet has a very considerable resistance to the stresses imposed upon the D-top incidental to the use of the D-top when applied to an implement shaft. A thesame time, the manufacturing problem, which was solved in one way in my said former patent, is herein solved in a different way, and to the end that a D-top of increased strength for a given thickness of sheet metal is provided.

Havingthus described my invention in a specific embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment herein illustrated and described, but without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim: v 1. A D-top adaptable for application to an end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, curved transversely substantially throughout its length to form an outer channel of progressively increased depth proceeding from its end portions towards its intermediate portion of greatest depth the side arms thereof being of continuously curved cross sectional form between their ends and the said intermediate portion,

a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediateportion of the strip, the lateral portions of the strip being inturned in portions adjacent its said intermediate portion to integrally join the lateral portions of the arms with the lateral edges of the strip to effect a junction of the arms and strip throughout substantially the entire width of the upper portions of the arms.

2. A D-top adaptable for application to an end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, channelled transversely substantially throughout its length to form an outer channel of progressively increased depth proceeding from its end portions towards its intermediate portion of greatest depth the side arms thereof being of continuously curved cross sectional form between their ends and the said intermediate portion, a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediate portion of the strip, the lateral portions of the strip being inturned only in portions adjacent its said intermediate portion to integrally join the lateral portions of the arms with the lateral edges of the strip to effect a junction of the arms and strip throughout substantially the entire width of the upper portions of the arms, and aligned openings through the arms adapted to receive a handle securing bolt or the like for holding the arms closely about the end of the implement or the like.

3. A D-top adaptable for application to an end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, curved transversely substantially throughout its length to form an outer channel of progressively increased depth proceeding from its end portions towards its intern'lediate portion of greatest depth the side arms thereof being of continuously curved cross sectional form between their ends and the said intermediate portion, a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediate portion of the strip, the lateral portions of the strip being inturned in portions adjacent its said intermediate portion to integrally join the lateral portions of the arms With the lateral edges of the strip to effect a junction of the arms and strip throughout substantially the entire Width of the upper portions of the arms, the strip being flattened on its surface disposed remote to the arms to approximately conform with the end of the implement shaft projected within the arms.

4:. A D top adaptable for application to an end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, curved transversely substantially throughout its length to form an outer channel of progressively increased depth proceeding from its end portions towards its intermediate portion of greatest depth, the side arms thereof being of continuously curved cross sectional form between its ends and the said intermediate portion, a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediate portion of the strip, and oppositely disposed handle receiving sockets formed integrally with the arms at their ends.

5. A D-top adaptable for application to an end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, curved transversely substantially throughout its length to form an outer channel of progressively increased depth proceeding from its end portions towards its intermediate portion of greatest depth, the side arms thereof being of continuously curved cross sectional form between its ends and the said intermediate portion, a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediate portion of the strip, and oppositely disposed handle receiving sockets formed integrally with the arms at their ends, said sockets being substantially cup-shaped in form, the side arms formed to project their depressed channel portions toward each other within the planes of the spaced socket and Walls.

6. AD-top adaptable for application toan end of an implement shaft, comprising a U- shaped metallic strip, channelled transversely including an intermediate portion having a channel of greatest depth, the side arms there of being of channelled form between their ends and the said intermediate portion, a pair of laterally disposed tool handle embracing arms, each approximately semi-cylindrical in form integrally depending from each side of the most deeply channelled intermediate portion of the strip, the lateral portions of the strip disposed adjacent its said intermediate portion being inturned to integrally join the lateral portions of the side arms with the lateral edges of the cylindrical arms, and com prising a junction of the cylindrical arms and said side arms throughout substantially the entire width of the upper port-ions of the cylindrical arms, and aligned-openings through the cylindrical arms adapted to receive a handle securing bolt or the like for holding the arms closely about the end of the implement or the like, the joining portions of strip and arms having lateral edges extending divergingly from the arm edges.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix signature this 24th day of February, 1927.

WINTHROP WITHINGTON. 

